Sports Opinion: the student section monster

ESPN's 24 hour Tip-Off marathon brought more than basketball to Cintas Center on Tuesday. It brought empty seats to classrooms and filled seats in our student section. With a relatively short line getting into Cintas Center, there were plenty of rumors about saving seats for those still in class. A 4 p.m. tipoff prompted rushed labs, skipped classes and late arrivals, but in the end it was all worth it. The Xavier men's basketball team was welcomed to the court by a sea of blue glow sticks. Cintas Center really lit up during the national anthem and during our player introductions. Energy from our student section was vibrant from the beginning. Section 215 was filled with Butler fans who often tried to overpower the noise from Xavier students roaring directly below them, but ultimately, they failed. Senior Jeff Robinson ignited the crowd early in the first half with a four-point play. It is inevitable that he is going to be loved more as the season goes on. His dominant performance was appreciated by Xavier students and we look forward to more of those performances. While our student section remained loud and standing in Xavier's 62-47 victory over Butler, we must form as one student section for future games. Yes, we were loud, but at times, chants were done by one section but not the other. Let's change that so that there is no way opposing fans will even get a chance to be heard. As usual, Brad Redford's three-pointers got the crowd going, but it was the all-around performances that kept our crowd loud. Senior Travis Taylor got the standing ovation he deserved by hitting his 1,000-point milestone. Sophomore Dee Davis has made a statement in his first two games and got the fans aweing at his "ankle-breaking" drives to the basket. It is great to finally see a group of men that gets equal support offensively and defensively. ESPN's camera crew brought our student section into the game and our fellow students got air time so that they can tell their mom and dad that they were on T.V. It's only two games into the season and we are 2-0, but regardless of which camera crew enters our threshold, we need to unite as one and stand behind our Musketeers. Whoever we play, our Xavier men's basketball team deserves a student section ready to come out and stay noisy throughout the game. The final buzzer sounded with cheers and applause coming from every corner of Cintas Center. As players came to greet their excited fans, it was apparent that they were excited to share that win with us. Though students likely headed to Gallagher, the CLC or their night class after the game, this win over Butler will unleash a monster that will be known as our student section. Those that are panicking about their skipped class or the lack of effort on their chemistry lab, I urge you to admit that it was all worth it.